Surgical devices have been in use for performing electrosurgical ablation of body tissues. This type of surgical device utilizes electrosurgical energy (e.g., radio frequency (RF) energy) passed between a pair of electrodes to create a high current density which ablate the body tissues.
Efforts have been made in the past to develop flexible electrodes that can be deployed easily at a treatment site. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,891,136 discloses an RF surgical device having an expandable/collapsible electrode structure. While at least some portions of this electrode structure are flexible, it requires a fairly complicated process for forming electrodes thereon and for electrically connecting the electrodes to an external RF energy source.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,572 discloses an electrosurgical catheter apparatus having a solid metal electrode which is mounted on an inflatable balloon. While the balloon is expandable for deploying the electrode at a treatment site, the electrode is relatively rigid.
Fabrics patterned with metal strands (e.g., Indian zari sarees and fabrics with bullion emblems) have been available. However, such fabrics are not specifically suitable for medical use.
In the foregoing circumstances, there is a need for an electrosurgical apparatus having flexible electrodes that can be easily deployed at a treatment site and that can be manufactured in a simple, cost-effective manner.